a) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a solidifying material for cell or battery (hereinafter collectively called “cell”) electrolyte solution and a cell comprising the solidifying material as a constituent element. The term “cell electrolyte solution” may hereinafter be referred to simply as an “electrolyte solution”, and the term “solidifying material for an electrolyte solution” may hereinafter be referred to simply as “solidifying material”.
b) Description of the Related Art
As a cell electrolyte is conventionally in a liquid form, it is sealed in a case from the standpoint of safety. To safely hold the electrolyte solution over a long time, the case is required to be strongly built. As a result, it has heretofore been difficult to form a cell into a thin structure. It has recently been proposed to have an electrolyte solution absorbed in a high molecular substance such that the electrolyte is solidified. This approach is expected not only to avoid leakage of the electrolyte solution from cells and to provide the cells with improved safety but also to achieve higher design tolerances on cell configurations, cell thickness reductions, improvements in durability, and higher outputs owing to increases in area.